Circle G Ranch developers to give sneak peek
Developers hoping to transform Elvis Presley’s old Circle G Ranch into a tourist destination complementing Graceland will give the public a peek at their plans during a one-day Elvis Week event Aug. 12.
“A Day at the Ranch,” as the event is being billed, will feature live music, food vendors, a meet-and-greet session with the “Memphis Mafia,” children’s activities and a preview of the Unknown Child Holocaust Memorial. Hours are 1-6 p.m., and it will be the only time the ranch is open to the public during restoration.
Organizers say it’ll be a day to talk about the ranch’s past and developers’ vision for the future.
“We are so excited to finally open the gates and invite the community and fans to come enjoy the ranch,” said Buddy Runnels, the Mississippi native and Florida real estate developer who bought the DeSoto County property several years ago. “Everyone has been so incredibly supportive of our vision and planning for the property, so this is our way of showing our gratitude and welcoming them with open arms, just as they have done us.”
Runnels and investors bought the property at Goodman Road and Mississippi 301 for an undisclosed price, with a grand vision of transforming it into a multi-use development that would draw fans coming to nearby Graceland as part of a total Elvis experience. Presley bought the ranch as a getaway in 1967, and he and Priscilla honeymooned there.
The property owned by Elvis is actually a 163-acre portion of the 231acre tract located about 10 miles south of Graceland.
In 2016, Runnels characterized his plans for the site as a sprawling, musically-themed “leisure entertainment destination.” He outlined a $3.2 million first phase that included relocation of the honeymoon cottage to another spot on the site and reconstructing the stable, all around the signature 55-foot cross that sits beside a lake. Runnels said at the time he hoped to have the first phase completed within a year, but there has been lit-
tle visible work to date.
The announcement of the Aug. 12 event says, however, that investors still have “exciting plans for the future of Circle G Ranch as an entertainment destination that preserves historic features, embraces the local community and honors causes about which Elvis felt most passionately .... ”
One of those causes is children, which led to plans to include the Unknown Child Holocaust Memorial on the property. Organizers of that effort, a separate entity from the Runnels group, have been raising money to construct the memorial to children who died during the Holocaust.
The announcement says experts will be on hand Aug. 12 to talk about the history of the ranch and explain efforts under way to get the site on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors also can view conceptual plans for the restoration and development of the ranch.
Previous proposals to develop the property never materialized. In 2002, Atlanta developer J.D. Stacy gained approval for an Elvis-themed resort that would have included a Go Kart racing complex, two hotels and a convention center, 650 luxury condominiums, three wedding chapels, honeymoon cottages, an Elvis museum, two golf courses, a family entertainment center, a retail center, restaurants and a concert auditorium.
The project never came to fruition, even after Horn Lake officials approved a less grandiose version of the plan in 2005.
Area officials were optimistic at the time Runnels purchased the property that he would fare better. Horn Lake Mayor Allen Latimer at the time referred to Runnels as “the real deal.” There is no admission fee for the Aug. 12 gathering, but onsite parking will be $5 per car.